Daddy's Little Girl
by charliwarli
Summary: Cercina, sold to the new regime. This is a short story of how Cercina came to be at the mercy of the Illirian royal family. Just a one-shot, original characters, they are mine! Only rated M for language.


Veheemen, the proud King of the Ciat, had snubbed his only heir to the throne and sold out his people for a pardon to the ruling species on the co-inhabited planet of Ahrannon. When it had appeared that the Illirians were going to win, Veheemen assured their fall, and sealed the fate of not only himself, but of his entire race.

Cercina refused to look the man that she once called father in the eyes. He was a selfish and vain man, locking himself in what was left of the royal manor, and all but selling her off to the Illirian royal family. Those of their people that refused to enlist, or were incapable of enlisting, starved and died off in poverty, or from plague.

Now, Cercina watched her father making the final negotiations with the Illirian messenger, and wondered just when she'd be shipped off, to where, and what would happen to her. She also wondered how he'd managed to keep himself out of the fire fodder. Probably because he'd given them his heir, and now the line was done-for. She stood up and kept her eyes to the floor as her father left his office followed by a smug looking Illirian.

The Illirian stopped in front of Cercina and brought her chin up, almost as though he were inspecting her. She caught a glimpse of dark red eyes, and a cascading of gray and red speckled markings along completely unmarred dark brown flesh. Cercina had to admit that though she hated the Illirians, their beauty and grace never ceased to amaze her. Their reptilian features meshing and dancing perfectly with the mammalian.

The man before her swished his tail in content, and sneered at her just a little. "Hmm, his Highness will be pleased that the monkey he bargained for isn't a complete waste. I've heard the rumors of how capable you are in battle, hopefully you won't be a disappointment and die _too _quickly." He let his eyes linger on the hardened look in her eyes, and Cercina's pride got the better of her.

"Sir, I assure you I've proven myself in battle... With many an Illirian's blood quenching my blade's thirst."

His eyes narrowed in anger and he pulled his hand from beneath her chin, making a fist, and fighting back the urge to hit her. 'Do it' she dared, both in her mind and with the challenge in her eyes. Something crossed his face, and for a moment she was sure she could smell his fear taint the air. He then immediately wiped his hand against his leg in disgust after having made physical contact with her and left quickly.

It wasn't long before Veheemen had found her once more. "Well, why are you still here?"

"Because, you insufferable coward, I haven't been given orders as to where I am to go."

"And?"

"And, I'm not leaving until I'm to be deployed. Since you're so fucking weak, and because of said weakness are no longer my _king_, you're no longer in any position to order me to do anything. _So,_ I will stay here. If you want to fight me on it, and I do so hope you do, I promise you that I have a surplus of miss-placed anger that needs to find its rightful home."

Veheemen seemed taken aback. Cercina was always willful, but never directly threatening. She made no move to leave the spot to which she inhabited. Anger welled up within him, and he, being the short fuse he ever was, received her judgment with rage and violence.

Cercina watched his body language with distinct realization that he was going to strike her. She ducked down and slipped passed and behind him. His fist hit the wall that was where her face had once been. She waited for him to turn around to face her, and watched him slowly move, a wicked smile playing across her normally stoic face. He prepared to launch at her again, this time aiming to drop her by striking her across the chest with his arm. Cercina managed to side step just slightly, grabbing him by the forearm, and used his own momentum to bring him down with an arm throw.

It was only under dire circumstances that she would ever engaged her father in a physical altercation. On the rare occasion that she did she let him take the win to be done with the situation quickly and move on with her life. She never wanted him to know just how strong she was. Of course he suspected she was capable, no pup of his would ever be weak. However, the extent of her strength was truly only known by her sister, the closest thing in this world that she had to a friend.

Fia, she assumed she would see her sister soon since she had enlisted by choice quickly after the war had ended. Having no claim to the crown or paternal obligation to Veheemen, since she was the product of their mother's previous espousal, she got out of there as soon as she could on the first transport ship. The two sister's weren't exactly friends but they treated each other with a level of civility and kinship that far exceeded many of their kind's wherewithal.

Cercina started to walk away to her room, ignoring the exasperated grunts coming from the fallen king's heaping pile. She rolled her eyes and sauntered slowly, refusing to give him the satisfaction of ever seeing her run away.

If she was lucky, she'd never have to see his pathetic face ever again.


End file.
